At Sea Road Elementary School in Kennbunk, Maine, Andy Bodwell, 11,
takes his lunchtime dose of Ritalin from school nurse Florine LaPointe.
More and more school nurses are handing out more and more prescription drugs
(Robert Bukaty/AP Photo)
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Public school administrators, long the enthusiastic adherents of a "Just Say No!" policy on drug use, appear to have a new motto for the parents of certain tiny soldiers in the war on drugs: "Medicate or Else!" It is a new and troubling twist in the psychiatric drugs saga, in which public schools have begun to issue ultimatums to parents of hard-to-handle kids, saying they will not allow students to attend conventional classes unless they are medicated. In the most extreme cases, parents unwilling to give their kids drugs are being reported by their schools to local offices of Child Protective Services, the implication being that by withholding drugs, the parents are guilty of neglect.
At least two families with children in schools near Albany, N.Y., recently were reported by school officials to local CPS offices when the parents decided, independently, to stop giving their children medication for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. (The parents of one student pulled him from school; the others decided to put their boy back on medication so that he could continue at his school.)
Meanwhile, class-action lawsuits were filed earlier this month in federal courts in California and New Jersey, alleging that Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp., the manufacturer of Ritalin, and the American Psychiatric Association had conspired to create and expand the market for the drug, the best known of the stimulant medications that include the amphetamines Adderall and Dexedrine. The suit appears to be much like another lawsuit brought against Novartis in Texas earlier this year.
As a doctor with a practice in behavioral pediatrics -- and one who prescribes Ritalin for children -- I am alarmed by the widespread and knee-jerk reliance on pharmaceuticals by educators, who do not always explore fully the other options available to deal with learning and behavioral problems in their classrooms. Issues of medicine aside, these cases represent a direct challenge to the rights of parents to make choices for their children and still enjoy access to the public education they want for them -- without medication. These policies also demonstrate a disquieting belief on the part of educated adults that bad behavior and underperformance in school should be interpreted as medical disorders that must be treated with drugs.
Unfortunately, I know from the experience of evaluating and treating more than 2,500 children for problems of behavior and school performance that these cases represent only a handful of the millions of Americans who have received pressure from school personnel to seek a "medical evaluation" for a child -- teacher-speak for "Get your kid on Ritalin."
Most often, evaluations are driven by genuine concerns first raised by a teacher or school psychologist. But too frequently the children are sent to me without even a cursory educational screening for learning problems. With a 700 percent increase in the use of Ritalin since 1990, parents have been repeatedly told that their kids probably have ADHD and that Ritalin is the treatment of choice. More and more often, the parents who buck this trend are being told they must put their children in special restricted classrooms or teach them at home.
Patrick and Sarah McCormack (not their real names) came to my office in a panic last year because a school wanted them to medicate their 7-year-old son. Sarah tearfully explained that the principal and psychologist at Sammy's school in an upscale Bay Area town were absolutely clear that the first-grader should be on Ritalin. An outside private psychologist who had previously tested Sammy did not find any learning problems but concluded that he had ADHD and was defiant of authority. She suggested medication. The school psychologist, in his report on Sammy, was straightforward in recommending "psychopharmacological therapy" for the child.
The McCormacks were told, in no uncertain terms, that unless Sammy's behavior changed, he would be transferred to a special class for behavior-problem children at another school or the McCormacks would have to consider alternatives to public education like home schooling.
Patrick and Sarah had few
problems with their son at home, though they conceded he was a "handful" and
sometimes had problems getting along with other children. They deeply valued his
outgoing personality and feared that Ritalin would change him. They also worried
about the immediate and long-term side effects of the drug. They acknowledged
that Sammy struggled at school but felt school personnel had not done enough and
were using the wrong approaches with their kid. They hoped he could continue at
the neighborhood school where he had made friends despite his problems. They
wanted my opinion and support for their point of view at the school.
When I met Sammy in my office, he was full of life and reasonably focused,
chatting at length about activities at home and at school. Though he was in
first grade, he could read at a fourth-grade level. I got a better picture of
his problems when I met him with his parents. When they were there he acted
impulsively, getting up and down from his seat and moving about the room when we
tried to have a family conversation. Sammy regularly interrupted his parents and
bossed them around, especially Sarah.
His lack of respect troubled me, but I felt optimistic that Sammy could be successful without medication, especially after I spoke with his teacher. She was more positive about him than others who had reported on his conduct at school. She felt he had made progress in her classroom but still wondered how she could help him better stay on task. She was open to ideas. I suggested that Sammy be immediately rewarded for good behavior and given chips for finished work that could be exchanged for prizes at the end of the day. She was comfortable with giving him tangible consequences for not meeting her expectations.
I suspected that medication would probably help with Sammy's self-control, but, as I told the McCormacks, it was not absolutely necessary. I told them that children of Sammy's age never become addicted and that the drug's effects on his behavior would last only four hours per dose. But it was more important that they work on their parenting, and I referred them to a counselor. I couldn't say for sure whether changes at home and school would make the difference for Sammy, but I certainly felt it was up to the parents to decide on the medication. I said I would support their decision either way.
A year later the McCormacks returned, frustrated and embittered. Sammy had a very good end to first grade, but second grade with an unsympathetic, unyielding teacher had been disastrous. The principal and school district were now insisting that Sammy be on medication if he was to stay in a regular third-grade classroom. The school said it "could not meet the child's needs within the regular classroom setting without medication." He was disrupting the classroom. Other parents had complained about his behavior. A one-on-one aide assigned to Sammy had not worked. Sarah thought the aide was nothing more than a snitch who regularly recorded Sammy's misdeeds for the principal.
If the family refused to give Sammy medication, the boy would be transferred to a different school, a bus ride from their home, to be in a special class with four other "disturbed" children. They could also home-school him or challenge the school's decision in a hearing. Ultimately they could go to court, but a final decision could take years -- by then Sammy might be in middle school. The parents were loath to move Sammy to a new school. However, they still were against using medication with their son.
Families like the McCormacks, who reject medication and face a loss of access to conventional public school classrooms, are increasing in numbers. In May, I testified before a congressional subcommittee hearing on ADHD and Ritalin organized by several congressmen who had received letters from distressed parents pressured by their local schools to medicate their children. The pressure has become so intense in some areas that resolutions urging teachers to restrain from recommending medical evaluations and Ritalin for students are under consideration in several states. One passed recently in Colorado.
Yet even as the issue of parents' rights is being considered in some areas, the stakes have dramatically increased in others, where schools are seeking the intervention of CPS to get parents to medicate their kids. It is no longer simply an issue of which school or which class a child will attend. Instead, some parents are being threatened with the possibility of losing custody of their children if they refuse to comply with suggested treatment for an alleged medical condition.
Many doctors and educators
would agree that withholding medication can be viewed as a form of child abuse
or neglect. Dr. Harold Koplewicz, vice chairman of the New York University Child
Study Center, said on "Good Morning America" last month that he felt a CPS
referral was justified when a family refused to medicate a child for whom a
diagnosis of ADHD had been made by an experienced evaluator. "Ritalin is simply
the best treatment for this disorder," he said.
I can't agree. It is true that the courts have ordered medical intervention
when a child's life is threatened. Judges have overruled the wishes of Christian
Scientist parents not to give antibiotics to children who face life-threatening
infection. Similarly, blood products have been given to children in surgery over
the objections of Jehovah's Witnesses. But those situations are quite different
from ones in which ADHD is diagnosed and Ritalin is prescribed, according to
Dolores Sargent, a former special education teacher now practicing family law in
Danville, Calif.
"ADHD children and families do not face immediate life-threatening situations," she says, "and ADHD continues to be a 'disease' with multiple causes and no definitive markers. It's unlikely any decision that insists on the use of Ritalin for ADHD could withstand a court challenge."
The existence of effective alternative treatments makes any forced decision to medicate children against parents' wishes both legally and ethically shaky. Yet, the willingness of some CPS workers to pursue families unwilling to dose their children shows how strongly entrenched medication for behavior problems in children has become in our country.
A local CPS office cannot demand that a child be medicated -- yet -- but it can ascertain whether a child is safe in his or her parents' home. Legally, CPS can alert parents that their child's uncontrollable behavior, which puts the child at significant risk of abuse at home, must change. If they feel this advice is not being taken, the agency can remove children from their homes.
What seems to be overlooked in this simplistic, and seemingly convenient, way of dealing with hard-to-handle kids is that alternative strategies to medication exist, from family counseling to short-term respite care. The perceived superiority, rapid onset and inexpensive nature of Ritalin make it a very attractive choice for school administrators, who may pressure parents of students who threaten to drain their beleaguered schools of time or money As more and more families opt for the Ritalin fix, it becomes easier to insist that other families in similar situations try the drug, even though these families may not want their kids to take stimulants.
I still prescribe Ritalin, but only after assessing a child's school learning environment and family dynamics, especially the parents' style of discipline. But I continue to ask questions about Ritalin in a country where we use 80 percent of the world's stimulants. I have no doubt that Ritalin "works" to improve short-term behavior and school performance in children with ADHD; however, it is not an equivalent to or substitute for better parenting and schools for our children.
I was surprised to see Surgeon General David Satcher quoted recently as saying that he believes Ritalin is underprescribed in our country. I participated in last week's Conference on Children's Mental Health sponsored by his office and found that Ritalin is thought to be both underprescribed and overprescribed, depending upon the community being assessed and its specific threshold for ADHD diagnonsis and Ritalin treatment.
Data shows, for example, that African-American families use Ritalin at rates one-half to one-quarter of their white, socioeconomic peers. Asian-American youth are virtually absent in statistics for Ritalin use. I happen to believe that Satcher's comments were intended for these communities and, ironically, will not have any impact on them. Instead, I think, his statement will have perverse impact on white middle- and upper-middle-class families. In some communities, Ritalin use among boys in this group is as high as one in five.
After much agonizing, Sammy's parents decided to put him in a special education class rather than give him Ritalin and, for the moment, things are going well for him. But they plan to move from the Bay Area, largely because of Sammy's school experience.
With 4 million children taking Ritalin in America today, there are undoubtedly millions of other parents struggling with the decision of whether to medicate their children. The McCormacks' story demonstrates the dilemmas and pressures many of these families face. Proponents of drug treatment for children's behavior problems applaud those parents who choose Ritalin to improve their children's learning experience. But civil libertarians -- and doctors like me -- worry about the specter of more families being forced against their will to put their children on psychiatric medication. These families, and their right to make choices for their children, deserve our support and protection.
I understand that since children on Ritalin are considered 'disabled,' schools are eligible for additional dollars from state and federal programs. If true, this might give added explanation to the schools' push for the drug.
I think the heart of the matter is this: Acting like a boy is no longer politically correct.
In previous years, boys who went over the bounds were disciplined and taught appropriate behaviour. There's no will or ability to do that in the schools any more. Lacking any other way to deal with natural aggressive behaviour, the schools wish to drug it out of existence.
They care not what the long term impact is. There are studies that suggest that many of the behaviours associated with ADHD are also associated with creative geniuses. We may be medicating a generation of our best creative minds into stupor.
I do not wish to imply that medication is never the answer. As the author takes pains to point out, sometimes it is. Just not very often.
I understand that since children on Ritalin are considered 'disabled,' schools are eligible for additional dollars from state and federal programs. If true, this might give added explanation to the schools' push for the drug.
That's what it's really all about.
Many doctors and educators would agree that withholding medication can be viewed as a form of child abuse or neglect. Dr. Harold Koplewicz, vice chairman of the New York University Child Study Center, said on "Good Morning America" last month that he felt a CPS referral was justified when a family refused to medicate a child for whom a diagnosis of ADHD had been made by an experienced evaluator. "Ritalin is simply the best treatment for this disorder," he said.
Harold Koplewicz was the "star of the show" at last year's mental health dog and pony show featuring Hillary and Tipper. Koplewicz was introduced by Hillary, who described him as a man who brought to bear "extraordinary talent and experience on behalf of children as a child psychiatrist."1
In his remarks, Dr. Koplewicz labeled as "antiquated" the notion that absent fathers, working mothers and over permissive parents had anything to do with childhood emotional problems.2
1. Breggin, P., "Reclaiming Our Children: A Healing Plan For a Nation In Crisis", Perseus Books (2000), pg. 23
2. Ibid, pg. 23
Here's a bump to you!
I posted this yesterday....little response....Insightmag cover story on Ritalin Writing May Be on Wall for Ritalin
Not only does the school receive Federal money.....but I have heard that the child 's parents can apply for some type of monthly disability from Social Security.
Anyone know if this is true?
So are the parents.
Homeschool.
As a child when adults wanted my attention they had their ways which were quick and swift. Opps!!! No more "attention deficit disorder" I'm cured "it's a Miracle!!
There is so much I'd like to say about this.
I have four children. According to Dr. Koplewicz, two of them would have qualified for Ritlan. I had one who could not stay in her seat. She was in a private school. It was sit down, stand up, sit down, stand up, all through class. She did all her work but she could not stay seated. After a few meetings with the teacher, we realized that that was just the way she was and we would laugh to ourselves at how my daughter could learn anything while bouncing around her desk. Would she have been a good candidate for Ritlan? You bet. I lucked out and got a teacher who saw my daughter in a most wonderful way.
My other candidate for Ritlan was in the first grade in a private school and was beginning to have problems. I got tired of trying to tell the teacher what to do and figured I could do it and make sure it got done without having to go through a middleman. I have successfully taught him how to read and do math at his own pace. He now reads at a tenth grade level and he's only in the fifth grade.
Sometimes parents have to do what's not conventional. The most important years are the ones before puberty. And they grow up real fast.
The government is intent on making the kids dumber than dumb. Home School is the only answer.
Vote SMART is the first step to fix this problem. Pat will abolish the department of education and that has to be done to fix the problem. The pubbicrats think they are smarter than the citizens, so they will not do anything but raise taxes as pass out drugs.
.
At Sea Road Elementary School in Kennbunk, Maine, Andy Bodwell, 11,
takes his lunchtime dose of Ritalin from school nurse Florine LaPointe.
More and more school nurses are handing out more and more prescription drugs
(Robert Bukaty/AP Photo)
bmp
Bump
And there are a whole lot of parents that tell the schools to forget it. Then the schools threaten the parents that there child unless he/she takes the medication, they will not be allowed to attend school. That is when a parent needs to get an attorney involved in the issue.
I understand that when children are put on a healthy diet,(no sugar no simple carbs) these problems disappear. Diet is almost always the problem.
volley bump!
Now that "Concerta" is on the shelves of your local pharmacy this scene will soon be changed. The sustained release of this form of Ritalin makes it possible for the drug to be administered at home in the morning and the child will be drugged for the entire day. A rather sophisticated release system allows this to happen. No more noon dosages necessary.
Now the only other thing the child will need is extra calories to offset the action of the 'Upper" and a little something to "help" him sleep.
God Bless the Child!
Yes, with a behavioral diagnosis, a child is eligible for Medicaid, special funding and in-home supports(babysitting) in many states. The new federal legislation actually is more supportive of behavioral diagnoses over mental retardation ...and disabilities which do not affect the mind.
For instance, Johnny Ants in the Pants...with ADHD will get funding whereas, Suzy with a legitimate diagnosis and no behavioral/cognitive problems such as Cystic Fibrosis and Spina Bifida requiring a lot of medical costs must go begging to foundations.
Have some fun on the Internet. Go to the foundations mentioned for certain diseases. Ask for some funding for a child with say...Spina Bifida...see how well you do.
Insurance companies and Foundations count on Uncle Sugar to pick up the slack...so ADHD kids are really on the gravy train, while other disabilities are outtaluck.
When I met Sammy in my office, he was full of life and reasonably focused, chatting at length about activities at home and at school. Though he was in first grade, he could read at a fourth-grade level. I got a better picture of his problems when I met him with his parents. When they were there he acted impulsively, getting up and down from his seat and moving about the room when we tried to have a family conversation. Sammy regularly interrupted his parents and bossed them around, especially Sarah.
The kid needs a father.
I was raised on a ranch where we used homeopathic remedies.
1st, Dad got me involved in my first woodworking project where we routed and sanded a nice firm paddle.
2nd it was hung in the closet pantry at the height that a youngster could reach.
3rd, if attention deficit disorder or similar indicators arose in the professional judgement of the parent, then a warning of said prognosis was enunciated.
Kids, amazingly learn such cause-effect responses rather rapidly.
Upon the second identification, prior to enunciation, either a quick directive to go to on'e room or to fetch the woodworking project was in order.
The long, long trip to the pantry was even longer and slower back to the parent, yet still quick enough not to escalate the prescription.
Once the medicine was issued, the patient quickly adapted and learned how one's behavior remarkably had some prescriptive effect on painful medicine, while further rebellion merely increased the dosage.
No further medication required after age 12 or so and remarkably no negative aftereffects.
Today, I sincerely wonder how any parent could disrespect and fail to love their children to the point of drugging them when they simply need some loving discipline. Even more heinous is the bureaucratic appeal to "Ritalin". Incredibly hateful of children.
Two things should be kept in mind:
All medications for the fraudulant conditions ADD and ADHD are amphetamines. All amphetamines cause brain damage. There is no exception to this rule. You are damaging your child's central nervous system if you give him/her any medication recommended for ADHD/ADD. Period. Scientifically proven. The pushers attempt to circumvent this rule by claiming that Alderall is a "new" drug. Since it is an amphetamine it is up to the pusher to prove that it is safe, not up to the parent to prove that a new amphetamine is brain damaging just like every previous amphetamine ever invented.
It is a felony for anyone but a licensed medical doctor to recommmend (much less force the use of) any Class II addictive drug. This includes psychologists who are not medical doctors (though they love to pretend that they are). All medications prescribed for ADHD/ADD are Class II addictive substances. Report teachers, psychologists or anyone else who recommends a drug to the local police and demand prosecution. Then sue all involved in the school administration.
There is more than one way to skin a cat.
gcul: I understand that since children on Ritalin are considered 'disabled,' schools are eligible for additional dollars from state and federal programs. If true, this might give added explanation to the schools' push for the drug.
mickie: Not only does the school receive Federal money.....but I have heard that the child 's parents can apply for some type of monthly disability from Social Security. Anyone know if this is true?
mike2right Oh LORD, not another Ritalin article.
As the parent of a child with ADHD who takes Ritalin, let me clarify that my child is not considered "disabled" and we are not eligible to apply for any type of disability payment.
It may be true that the schools get more funding if kids are diagnosed, I don't know. If you have a source for that claim, I'd be interested in reading it.
My son has been thoroughly evaluated at every level. This includes a full health/physical screening, educational tests, motor skills assessment, psychological screening and more. He is not disabled, does not have a learning disability, does not have a physical handicap, does not need glasses. He has had ear tubes due to fluid. But those were well in place a full two and a half years before the ADHD diagnosis.
Let me be clear. Far too many children are mis-diagnosed and are prescribed Ritalin or other medications. Many of them do not need it.
My son does. He takes it only for school. Does not take it on weekends or on school breaks.
Unless you are a medical professional with experience with children with ADHD or unless you are a parent of a child with ADHD I'm sure you can't understand where I'm coming from. If you are a parent with a child with ADHD and you choose not to give your child prescription medications I fully agree that is your choice and that the school has no business telling you anything else.
But, after many other options and a lot of research, my wife and I determined that this is the best course for our son. As he has entered middle school, we're seeing signs of maturity that will allow us to gradually help him off the medication. His incentive is that he doesn't get his driver's license if he can't function in school without the medication, but we actually hope to have him off it this year.
I don't like the fact that he has to take it. But I see the difference it makes in his school work. And he does too. You can read our story: A Necessary Evil.
could disrespect and fail to love their children
to the point of drugging them
when they simply need some loving discipline.
from Cvengr
In addition to the damage to the nervous system caused by these "ADHD" drugs, they damage the heart.
See the side effects listed in the Physician's Desk Reference (PDR).
Unless you are a medical professional with experience with children with ADHD or unless you are a parent of a child with ADHD I'm sure you can't understand where I'm coming from.
In the interest of balance, I AM a parent of a child with the "ADHD diagnosis." My son will never be on brain-disabling psychotropic drugs like Ritalin as long as I have anything to say about it, and I profoundly disagree with your decision, although you certainly have the right to make it.
There. :-))
God Bless both of you parents, for the love and concern you show for your children.
I never had to deal with these problems, with either my children or my grandchildren.
As an "oldtimer", I feel that drugs are dangerous, and in the case of Ritalin, used and abused, to extreme messure.
I wish you both well.
I sincerely wonder how any parent could disrespect and fail to love their children to the point of drugging them when they simply need some loving discipline.
While with many children, it could be, and probably is, a discipline problem. It is not with all children. It is not a discipline problem with my child. He has never been medicated to control his behavior. He take the medication to assist him with concentrating on his school work.
I've posted a link to my story above, so I won't repeat everything. But, an example I do not give in the article deals with homework. Without the medication, I've been through many nights spending up to four hours trying to do one page of math problems. I did not let him leave his seat, except to go the bathroom. He did not watch television. I sat with him and helped him work through the entire page. He knows the answers and can recite them back to you. But the concentration involved in writing the problems and working them on a separate piece of paper is more than he could handle alone. Trust me when I tell you it had nothing to do with discipline. With the medication, he can do (and has done) the same work in fifteen minutes. All I needed to do was check to make sure he had done it all.
I am incensed when people ignorant of my child and our situation tell me that I am drugging my child just to control him. And to imply that I "fail to love" him is outrageous!
You speak from ignorance.
You are ignorant of my child.
You are ignorant of my situation.
You are ignorant about me.
Feminists failed miserably in destroying manhood in America and convincing marriage minded single women that men are their mortal enemies. Make no mistake - they have moved the battle into the classroom and gone to work turning boyhood into a pathological disease - complete with a medically approved name and medication (ADHD and Ritalin).
Feminism - the overlay of the Marxist class struggle to the differences between men and women. Anyone who doubts it's a war, just consult with your local chapter of the Boy Scouts of America.
I am incensed when people ignorant of my child and our situation tell me that I am drugging my child just to control him.
But you ARE damaging his central nervous system and heart. This is not just inflammatory conjecture. Ritalin is proven to have these side-effects. If you search around your area you can probably find alternative treatments that don't have the side-effects.
Whatever you do, don't ignore the fact that suicide is the major side-effect of Ritalin withdrawal. If and when you decide to take your child off of Ritalin (unless your doctor convinces you that your child is permanenetly mentally ill and needs lifelong medication) please be sure that the withdrawal is handled carefully. I'm not trying to pick on you or invalidate your decision. But suicide is a major side-effect of Ritalin withdrawal. Virtually all of the child suicides you read about are Ritalin (or other psych drug) withdrawal cases.
I've alway refrained from responding to posts such as yours out of respect for individual parenting, but I can no longer keep my fidgety fingers from the keyboard:
"It is not a discipline problem with my child."
That's what every parent dispensing Ritalin to their child says. But you conradict yourself in the next sentence:
"He has never been medicated to control his behavior. He take the medication to assist him with concentrating on his school work."
Concentration is a learned behavior, a discipline as it were.
Don't mean to be judgemental... But, from early childhood on, I was one of those kids who just couldn't concentrate, hated to study, stared out the window in math classes. One on one study sessions with my dad, teachers who cared enough to give me individual attention and stimulate my individual interests into classroom participation, and an eye exam (turns out nearsightedness caused my lack of attention to the blackboard) eventually saw me into high school, where my grades steadily improved and I went on to engineering and grad schools.
That's how it was done before drugs made it cheap and easy. By the way... there was a thread a while back discussing the death of a young boy in Michigan who died of ischemic heart disease that his physician attributed to the long term use of Ritalin. Admittedly, this is anecdotal... but in that thread, Nick Danger pointed out some data at the government's own HHS website that lends credence to the idea that Ritalin may indeed carry a risk similar to that of the stimulant Phenphen, which was taken off of the market before the billion dollar lawsuits began.
Did you know that your son is now ineligible to serve in the military as a result of having been on Ritalin? Check it out. Why would the government blackball former Ritalin users?
If and when you decide to take your child off of Ritalin (unless your doctor convinces you that your child is permanenetly mentally ill and needs lifelong medication) please be sure that the withdrawal is handled carefully.
First, thanks for not just lecturing me about "drugging" my child. And thanks for your concern.
Because of the nature of Ritalin, my son's pediatrician has to write the prescription every month, so he's constantly being evaluated. He's not mentally ill and will eventually come off of Ritalin. So far, taking him off in the summer has not produced a problem.
But, he's pretty active, and has a strong support system, at home, as well as in school, church, Boy Scouts and sports.
I know the withdrawal can contribute to suicidal tendencies, but I have to believe there are other factors involved. Just as I don't believe Ritalin (alone) caused the Columbine massacre. I can assure you that, if my son was building a bomb in my garage, I would know about it and kick his clymer appropriately.
The key here in all of this is parental involvement. Some kids are given Ritalin as a means to control their behavior and the parents (or guardians) assume that takes care of everything. It doesn't and I think that those are the kids we should be most concerned about. The problem kids, the suicidal kids the violent kids usually have other issues going on.
Trust me that we're on top of my son's behavior. As much as the budding teenager in him wants to be independent, his mom and I remind him that we can be just as stubborn. After all that stubborness came from us to begin with.
Concentration is a learned behavior, a discipline as it were.
I didn't contradict myself. There is a difference between medicating children who "act up" and medicating children who can't follow the teachers instructions. Sure, there's a lot to be learned in terms of concentration. If you read my posts and my article, you know that we're working on that. But we're not there yet.
As an aside, I would most likely have been diagnosed as ADD when I was a child - if they were doing that then. Many of the same symptoms my son had, I exhibited as a child. Many of the same I still struggle with (as in being distracted by FReeping when I've got work to do). I discussed this with my son's pediatrician. Her opinion was that, if I have learned to cope with these distractions and to compensate, then that's a good thing, and I don't need further treatment.
I know that sounds like I'm contradicting myself. But, today's kids are bombarded with so many distractions that we didn't have in the 60s. I think that's why we see more of this type of behavior and this diagnosis. And, I think that's why some kids need help.
Did you know that your son is now ineligible to serve in the military as a result of having been on Ritalin? Check it out. Why would the government blackball former Ritalin users?
I'm aware of that. Al Gore and Bill Clinton are taking care of that by decimating our military and putting us under U.N. control (tin foil hat time). But seriously (and actually that was kinda serious), I've got to think the military will be forced to rethink that issue. I would think anyone still on Ritalin would be ineligible, but they can't survive if they continue to eliminate anyone who has ever taken Ritalin. [Sad news for our family is that our 7 month old who appears to have asthma will one day have his Olympic gold medal taken away...]
Let me just say to everyone, that we've been through this issue with our son and with his doctor(s). I ache every morning when I see my son take his medicine. But, the balance of that is that I see the difference it makes in his life.
I had an old war buddy who was on deployment to Iwakuni, Japan back in 1998. His wife was getting this sort of crapola from the San Diego Unified School District, and she asked me to sit in on her child's class.
I then reported that the problem wasn't ADHD--it was BATS. She asked me what "B-A-T-S" stood for, and I explained that it meant "Boring-A$$ Teacher Syndrome."
I thought she was going to lose control of her bladder...
Thought your statement rang a bell...
"With regard to the Federal Government, a child diagnosed ADD or ADHD qualifies low-income families for Supplemental Security Income of up to $482 per month."
That is from an article by Dr. Paul Clark appearing in the October 1998 issue of MEDIA BYPASS. The article also notes that the US Department of Education pays the school district $418 for EACH student "diagnosed" with ADD or ADHD. Follow the money, folks...this is why, in MY day, ADD was referred to as "daydreaming". Unfortunately, there was no money to be had for the school district for that particular "diagnosis".
Thank you for your courteous and thoughtful reply. I respect your decision regarding Ritalin and have no right to judge your actions as a parent. I have a son, and have yet to walk in your shoes.
It speaks highly of your parenting that you stay abreast of school/government intervention and duress issues w/r to Ritalin, as well as health concerns. Personally, I'm hoping we would suffer through and conquer "concentration" issues without drugs. By all means, I would question and fight the right of any dimwit teacher or administrator to recommend that a child of mine be drugged - I would seek any and all alternatives. The decision to medicate must be informed and free, but it seems to be exactly the opposite even as reported in the liberal media.
Peace.
I was a problem child to some extendt. It was my personality. I had, and still have a problem with authority to some extendt(and damn proud of it).
I was never asked to go on ritilan(80's). I eventually calmed down some, but still have a independent streak to this very day(The difference is I can control it better the last 8 years. I'm 22 now)
I will say this. There is NO WAY IN HELL I'm EVER drugging up my kids. I will FIGHT this every step of the way to the SCOTUS and even beyond(legal or not).
I don't trust ritilan. I don't support it.
Did you know that your son is now ineligible to serve in the military as a result of having been on Ritalin? Check it out. Why would the government blackball former Ritalin users?
There is occasionally talk in various state legislatures about denying drivers license privileges to people who have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. I don't think any have passed yet, but the stigma is growing and the list of career fields which ban former Ritalin takers will grow accordingly. I wonder if you can get a security clearance if you were/are on psychotrops...
My choice is to IGNORE you!!
If you cannot discuss this topic without taking it personally, you may want to ignore the article. These topics are discussed in antiseptic terms from 15,000 feet. Those closest may find them to be "unfeeling".
To add something to this(I have a damn good memory).
When I was 5-6 years old, I was tested with a 2 digit IQ(I've tested much higher since then). I could "count to 30", and do "simple addition".
The truth was that at home, I could do some multiplecation, count to 100+, and get by in reading, etc. My problem was that school BORED me, and I did my own thing. I just wasn't at the time a good test taker.
Without drugs, I was eventually a B average student(homework hurt my grade), with A test scores in most classes. In elementray school, while I still had some behavorial problems, I still got A's and B's for the most part(handwriting, and some reading comprehension(bored with it) exception). That was with consistently D grades in behavior.
What I realized was that I liked to find shortcuts, push limits, and go out of my way to do so. Something I think boys liked to do. Rebels are "cool".
What was the best drug? PARENTS. They kept me in check, as much as I hated to admit it. Football(10th grade on) also helped me out. I learned more from that than most of what I learned in school. It helped make me a winner. Else I'd probably be getting stoned somewhere.
I still have a little of that streak left in me and I'm glad I do as there is a time to buck authority(the right time and right authority), but there is a time not to as well. It's the transition from being a boy into a man.
And these days, they don't want boys or men. They want ROBOTS.
You mind sourcing the statement that FORMER Ritalin users are ineligible for military service? I find that hard to believe, as I know many former Ritalin users who serve in the armed forces.
By all means, I would question and fight the right of any dimwit teacher or administrator to recommend that a child of mine be drugged - I would seek any and all alternatives.
I agree. And we went that route. If you read the article I linked to above (and you don't have to), you'll see. But our son's 2nd grade teacher first suspected it. We took him to our family Dr. who looked at him and said, and this is a direct quote, "well, he looks well adjusted, but if the school thinks he needs Ritalin, I'll prescribe it." We walked out of there not to return. Because of insurance, we couldn't change his primary care giver for three more months, so over that time we worked with his teacher in several areas. None really worked. On his first visit, his new Dr. spent 2 hours with him. She intereviewed him, me, my wife, his teachers, etc. She gave him a complete physical and then after all of that, recommended Ritalin. She happens to have an ADHD son who is no longer on Ritalin. Likewise, our son's fifth grade teacher has a son who was on Ritalin and is now an honor student in college (without medication).
You can see I get carried away with this. But we didn't just accept it from the first person that our son needed help.
If you cannot discuss this topic without taking it personally, you may want to ignore the article.
Now what fun would that be? :-)
I get emotional about this issue. And yeah, a little defensive on this forum. But I have to try to get my point across. [that point being, some, but not as many as are on it kids do need Ritalin]
I can't seem to stay off the Harry Potter threads either...
What happens when these kids become adults? Does the hyperactivity fade away on its own? Or must they keep medicating themselves? Just curious.
What happens when these kids become adults? Does the hyperactivity fade away on its own? Or must they keep medicating themselves?
Okay, so here I have no first hand experience, except for the fact that I'm probably ADD myself.
There are adults who take Ritalin (I'm not one of them). From what our Dr. has told us, puberty often corrects the situation. Or, as we're hoping with our son, the child learns to cope or adapt to the situation(s) that cause the ADD/ADHD behavior.
Your question brings up a good point though. There are no "cookie cutter" approaches to dealing with this. That's why some kids can be helped with behavior modification or nutritional changes, but some need medication.
I do think there are far too many kids taking Ritalin. It works for a few, so it's used as the answer for all. That's just not the case.
Two blanket statements in response:
(1)All parents should get their kids out of public schools.
(2)No parent should EVER put a child on Ritalin.
It would take 3000 posts to defend those statements, so that's all I will say, but I hope SOME parent will listen to that advice.
If your son has an ADHD diagnosis and is not getting a disability check....it's because you didn't apply.
If you can use a driver's license as an incentive for behavior modification, you are implying that your son can control his behavior....so what am I a taxpayer doing paying for your son's so called disability.
ADHD used to be called MBD around 35 years ago. The term meant minimal brain dysfunction and was a way of saying the child had a subtle form of cerebral palsy from birth. It has now morphed into attention deficit disorder which is a totally spurious disease...usually evidenced by a working mom and no respected father figure on the scene. If a child did not have something wrong with him, Adderall, Ritalyn, Dexedrine etc, would give him a subtle form of brain damage.
"What happens when these kids become adults? Does the hyperactivity fade away on its own? Or must they keep medicating themselves?"
Good point.
I know a university professor who says that thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), any kid who produces a note from a doctor stating that he/she has ADHD is exempt from in-class exams. School policy is to employ "alternate" evaluation methods (take home exams, etc)
So what happens when these people graduate from college? Are they going to enter the work force and demand accomodations for their "disability?"
Although I sympathize with the parents, I think they must face the fact the Ritalin is not a cure.
I AM a parent of a child with the "ADHD diagnosis
If I may ask, how do you, as parents, manage this kind of child? Have you tried any alternative methods like homeopathy or diet or nutritional supplements? What about behavior modifications? Does this affect your child scholastically? Is your child in public school?
If your son has an ADHD diagnosis and is not getting a disability check....it's because you didn't apply.
If you can use a driver's license as an incentive for behavior modification, you are implying that your son can control his behavior....so what am I a taxpayer doing paying for your son's so called disability.
PROVE TO ME where I can apply for a disability check for my son.
My son is not disabled.
And, unless you live in my county and my state YOU aren't paying a dime for him.
If you are, cite your sources.
As far as the driver's license is concerned, I've said ALL ALONG in just about every post I've made on this subject on FR that we're working to help him learn to cope with the issues without the medication. We're working toward that goal. But he's eleven I've got another four and years before he can even get his learners permit. Those who know anything about ADHD kids also know that for them the most important thing is whatever is IMMEDIATE. Right here, right now. The driver's license is a future incentive, a goal that we can work toward. But, we hope to be beyond the point of needing the medication before that's even an issue.
The school has identified your son as having ADHD, they are getting Medicaid which I am paying for.
ADHD is a kid's diagnosis. It is a diagnosis sometimes given as a palliative to parents when doctor's suspect that something more serious is going on but they don't want to alarm the parents. You never hear of childhood Schizophrenia anymore. It just didn't go away. There are children with serious mental disorders from childhood but nowadays they will be diagnosed with Attachment disorder, or ADD or ODD because the doctor's don't want to label them. Let's face it Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder sounds better than Mental Retardation and the parent can always hope that the child will outgrow it.
I know people who are Manic Depressives and Paranoid Schizophrenics who still refer to themselves as having ADD since they were diagnosed that as children.
The problem is that ADHD is being overprescribed....and the taxpayer is paying for this billion dollar industry.
"ADHD is a kid's diagnosis."
Actually, there is a push to identify adults with ADHD. I remember seeing a questionnaire for adults. One of the "symptoms" is frequently changing radio stations while driving. Guess I got ADHD.
The school has identified your son as having ADHD, they are getting Medicaid which I am paying for.
First, the school suspected, but did not "identify" him has having ADHD. His medical professional did.
But, honestly, without sniping. I'm seriously curious to know your sources that say:
1. The school gets Medicaid funding because my son is ADHD, and
2. My son is eligible for disability payments because he has ADHD.
Don't worry, we have no intention of applying. I'd really just like to know the facts. Point me to your sources and I'll do the research.
Actually, there is a push to identify adults with ADHD.
Right, and the guy leading the charge is Russell Barkley. He's using gobs of taxpayer dollars to push drugs on adults, just like he's done for millions of kids.
Barkley's "studies" seek to prove that a whole range of human behaviors, such as driving too fast and promiscuous sex, are due to undiagnosed childhood ADHD.
In 1991 the U.S. Department of Education formally recognized ADHD as a handicap under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act. After the Department directed all state education officers to ensure that local school districts establish procedures to screen and identify ADHD children and give them special educational and psychological services, generous funding suddenly began to flow.
Public schools have learned how to tap into free-flowing federal funds from Medicaid. Letters sent home to parents brag that the schools "will use this new revenue to add more services for children who require specialized health care, social services, mental health care, speech therapy, counseling, and psychological services."
I have no idea what the particlar issues are in your relationship with your loved one and child. By no means did I or do I mean to convey or judge that. I do apologize if my post appeared to ignore you.
Ignorance was not the issue, I simply was not aware, not by choice, but by not exposed at the time of my post of your situation.
It is not my position that Ritalin or any number of other drugs might not have appropriate use nor that valid scenarios don't exist where their use would be appropriate.
Instead, I wished to highlight a cultural phenomenon, which I have found inexplicable. Today, there exist many popular, easy-going folk, who adamently, violently, and hatefully oppose discipline and corporal punishment, yet in response to misbehavior by children have no qualms in forcing others to drug their children.
This doesn't mean there might not be valid cases of chemical imbalances which explain abnormal behavior, which a seasoned professional might be able to identify,....but I've seen low-level bureaucrats working in school systems who lack the ability to pass a course in Chemistry at a Jr. College, who would quickly enforce "policy" to force all discipline problems to drugs simply to avoid accountability or responsibility on their own behalf.
I've seen school boards make policy where anybody involved in an altercation or fight at a school is suspended, to avoid litigation by either party, including those who wish to defend themselves, thereby creating a social dynamic encouraging gang formation.
This didn't occur when I was growing up in my schools, but it does exist and it's a contagion.
I fully recognize that the many kids (possibly all kids) have very particular situations and a litany of awkward situations which are only fathomable by a nearly full time parental/mentoring relationship simply to identify what their situations actually are,...and of all possible parties to best identify their situation, I know of none better than a loving parent.
Some kids as some people are more awkward than others, and I fully sympathize the plight of any parent trying to help their child when normalcy appears not merely threatened, but completely thrown out the window. Such incredibly tough situations exist and I don't envy those caught in them, but do wish to offer encouragement for perseverence.
Ritalin might very well be the answer in some cases. I don't know, but do wish to convey my apology I my previous post made your situation more stressful.
Or maybe the brain damage is not so subtle. As late as May 1998 the psychiatrists admit that there is no evidence of any measurable medical or brain condition connected to ADHD.
ALSO:"Experts" regularly proclaim the brain scan abnormalities of ADHD. Barkley (1998) writes: "Imaging studies over the past decade have indicated which brain regions might malfunction in patients with ADHD…" Swanson et al (1998) write: "…magnetic resonance imaging studies of brain anatomy have also reported …a consistent moderate reduction of about 0.6 SD or 10% of the size in healthy controls…" What they faintly disclose in original reports, and hardly ever mention in subsequent review articles, is that virtually all such studies have utilized ADHD subjects on chronic stimulant therapy—the only physical variable. Instead of proving that ADHD as a disease or syndrome, they have proven, several times over, that the chronic Ritalin-amphetamine exposure they advocate for millions of children, causes brain atrophy (shrinkage). Link to entire article
Thanks for the link. When I get a little time, I'll dig to those original sources.
In OUR school system, there are no in-school clinics. My son's elementary school had one health representative who dispensed medication, but did not prescribe. We had to go in monthly and count out the number of pills. When his prescription changed, they couldn't just throw them away, we had to go get them.
I also know that Virginia was the last state to accept Goals 2000 monies. Then Governor George Allen (hopefully our next U.S. Senator) resisted the funds until he could be sure that Virginia had control of the money and we were not forced by the "federal nannies" (as he called them) to do things that were inconsistent with our philosophy. He was severely criticized by the educational establishment for denying our children funds. Virginia did eventually accept the money, and while I don't recall the specifics offhand, the terms of acceptance were more to our liking.
As far as special accommodations for our son, about the only thing we've gotten is that he can print his homework instead of write in cursive - which may or may not be related to the ADHD. And, now that he's in middle school, he's allowed to ask the teacher for a printed copy of notes. [complete, neat notebooks, including class notes are part of his grade] He has had a full evaluation which could very well be from the funding sources you cite. But there were no findings of disability other than the ADHD, including the writing assessment. In fact, HIS school was very careful not to "label" him with a disability.
I'd still like a source of info for the disability payments alluded to above. But thanks for this info.
So what happens when these people graduate from college?
They get better jobs due to their higher GPAs by virtue of the fact that they can spend all day taking their test open book that others have to take in class. This is the new America. The competent and productive people are constantly penalized and the losers and non-productive are rewarded. Is it any wonder why society is going to hell in a handbasket? In every area that government intrudes the producers are penalized to provide for non-producers. Why then should someone be a producer?
By no means did I or do I mean to convey or judge that.
Thanks, I was mainly responding to your original comment that was highlighted in another post. No offense taken.
This is a very emotional issue for me. I guess I get so defensive because it was not an easy decision and definitely not our first choice in dealing with our son.
If we thought we had any other option, we'd try it. And we do a lot of things already mentioned on here as "solutions."
This is more than a discipline issue. This is more than a nutrition issue. This is more than a surroundings issue. My wife did not work outside the home before our son started school, and then (with the exception of 8 months on our Governor's staff) worked only part-time while he was in school. We have a stable home-life, a happy family, are involved in our church and are intimately involved in all of his activites from my being a den leader to my wife being on the PTA board. The main staples in his diet are rice, chicken, whole wheat bread and fresh vegetables and fruit - largely because he's a picky eater. Candy, sodas, etc. are limited. Television is limited. Video games are limited. I could go on...
I appreciate your post and your acknowledgement that the case varies with the child.
I know Ritalin is over-prescribed. I know too many children are diagnosed with ADHD that merely have behavioral or situational issues. I know that too often the medications are seen as a blanket solution. I know all of that.
But, I also know that Ritalin has been the only solution that has made a difference for my son. It's not perfect and of course there are major drawbacks. But I see the positive results. I won't deny my child the tools he needs to survive.
I would concur. There is a rage that develops with the frustration associated with the inability to control oneself, particularly in boys. It is a positive feedback loop that can require physical interruption.
Besides diet I want to implicate two other major causes of ADHD as I see it, TV and Computer Games.
FEAR, FLIGHT, FIGHT, FOOD, SEX, FEAR, FLIGHT, FIGHT, FOOD, SEX, FEAR, FLIGHT, FIGHT, FOOD, SEX....
over and over again, with a frame rate that cannot be replicated by life. The response neurotransmitters become addicting and withdrawal isn't pretty. The very frame rate of TV alone inhibits the ability to concentrate upon dull things necessary for advanced study.
I withdrew "psychologically prepared" or "stimulative" toys from my kids as babies. There is enough going on in their heads (if you look) just dealing with simple objects, shapes, and events. There was NO TV other than the occasional, superivsed movie. Even now they start to develop all the symptoms associated with ADHD kids after but an hour of the Olympics on TV: bouncing on their seats, arguing, and other behaviors that I never see otherwise.
I think it's planned. I hate what TV has become, particularly commercials. They're too good at what they intend.
The older child (8) does high school algebra. The younger (6) is performing classic vocabulary development at the fourth grade level (each appropriate to developing weaknesses into strengths).
It isn't that hard.
mike2right has done some research. A lot of his info he found through ADD.About.com.
First, he found out that "Foot in Mouth Disease" is not covered under the ADA.
- I did find out however, that under IDEA and under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act that ADHD does fall in the "disability" category.
- And schools are required to provide education for students in these categories.
My confusion (okay, on some of this I was just wrong okay) was on the difference between Section 504 and IDEA. Here's the basic difference: "Perhaps the most important (difference) is, as has been stated, that Section 504 is intended to establish a "level playing field" - usually by eliminating barriers that exclude persons with disabilities - whereas IDEA is remedial - often requiring the provision of programs and services in addition to those available to persons without disabilities. Full article Here.
My son has a 504 plan. As I stated above the school has been very careful not to label him as "learning disabled" which would affect classroom placement. That led to my statement that he does not have a disability. For that statement, I was wrong. It is considered a disability.
I didn't dig far enough to find special funds going to the school based on the number of children diagnosed with ADHD. I'm sure the info is there. But at first glance it would appear to be at least for children whose diagnosis is more severe than my sons. As I stated, he doesn't get special services, but "allowances," such as being allowed to print, ask for copies of notes, etc. - and, other than the copies of notes, which is new in middle school, those allowances have not transferred from elementary school.
As far as Social Security benefits are concerned, my son is not eligible just because he has ADHD. From the Social Security website:
SSI Benefits For Children —These are benefits payable to disabled children under age 18 who have limited income and resources, or who come from homes with limited income and resources. Further reading on that site will show that income is a consideration, along with disability AND that the severity of the disability is much more advanced than my son, and I would hazard to guess the majority of children diagnosed with ADHD. So, on this, I was right and wrong. Some children receive Social Security benefits because they are considered disabled by ADHD, but I was right that my son would not be eligible - either in terms of severity or financial situation.
Bottom line folks: This is a very emotional issue for me. I have a tendency to post first, think later. I agree with all of you who say that Ritalin is over-prescribed. But I have to draw the line where folks say there is no such think as ADHD and that Ritalin doesn't work, or isn't needed.
It's not a cure-all. It's far from perfect. And, most of the kids taking it probably don't need it. My son does.
bump against 'family' courts.
Thanks for your questions and interest. I've not gone into a lot of details on my personal situation here on FR with my son, and I'm hesitant to do so now. But I appreciate your interest and I'll try to give you a coherent response.
If I may ask, how do you, as parents, manage this kind of child?
First, we have 2 sons, 11 and 15. Our youngest son Michael, a high IQ child, has been identified as "ADHD," although you're probably aware that I think the diagnosis is a fraud and an excuse for the public schools to drug kids into compliance.
As parents, we were slow to recognize the huge personality differences in these boys. Since we had no discipline or academic problems at all with our oldest, our failure to recognize Michael's special needs at a very early age is something we've paid a huge price for.
All kids have different needs, but for Michael the key is consistency, fairness in how discipline is applied vis-a-vis his brother, and constant reinforcement of our unconditional love for him, no matter what. The latter is hugely important anytime, but especially so for Michael because he's very perceptive and he knows other adults outside his family think something's wrong with him. Also, because of his hypersensitivity to "fairness," we have to spend a lot of time explaining to him why what we do is "fair," but he always responds to a rational, logical explanation.
Have you tried any alternative methods like homeopathy or diet or nutritional supplements?
We try to keep his sugar intake down. I've also looked into some of the European research on how magnesium deficiency might cause ADHD-like behavior in some kids. So Michael takes a calcium and magnesium supplement. We figured it couldn't hurt and might help.
I'm currently looking into some of the new research at NIMH on Omega 3 fatty acids as time permits.
What about behavior modifications?
Well, the schools sure love behavior modification plans, and we've gone along to the extent that we can. We've accepted any plans that emphasize positive reinforcement, but have objected to plans that would make his self-esteem problems worse.
Does this affect your child scholastically? Is your child in public school?
It sure affected him scholastically at first, and yes he's still in public school. Once your child has been labeled as "ADHD" for behavior, you can't get him into private school unless he's drugged. At least that's what we've experienced down here in Texas.
Our dealings with the public schools is a very drawn-out and complex situation, far too involved to go into here. The key to dealing with the school bureaucracy is to educate yourself so you know more than they do. They gave up bugging me about drugs years ago.
However, one of the biggest mistakes we ever made was to allow the school district psychologists to label him as "different" -- that something was wrong with him This gave them an excuse to ruin his self-esteem, separate him from his natural peers, and put him in a classroom situation where academics were even less important than they usually are in public school. Six years later, we're still trying to repair this damage, but it's improving.
But Michael is lucky. He's got a wonderful mom who's spent countless hours with him patiently telling him that he could do the work when he was saying he couldn't. And he's had a couple of great teachers who have challenged him to move ahead academically.
It's been a long haul, but Michael is "mainstreamed," a straight A student in a charter school (6th grade), and has had a problem-free year so far at school. We're very proud of him. Far more important to us than any of that, he seems happier with himself than he's ever been.
Very interesting.
Thanks.
I REFUSE to watch TV.
Any time I do by accident for a moment, I feel ill.
It emanates something poisonous.
Great job, Al.
Barkley's "studies" seek to prove that a whole range of human behaviors, such as driving too fast and promiscuous sex, are due to undiagnosed childhood ADHD.
The "symptoms" include driving too fast and promiscuous sex, in addition to frequently changing radio stations while driving? Now I know I have ADHD!
So where do I pick up my gov't cheque?
"So what happens when these people graduate from college?"
"They get better jobs due to their higher GPAs...."
Exactly. In addition, I suppose they will be exempt from deadlines and all the other stressful situations the rest of us face, while - of course - pulling down the same salary.
"Why then should someone be a producer?
Good question.
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